Like a Sister
by Muffins-and-Magic
Summary: James has always been attached to his younger cousin Rose. She was really like another sister to him. Part of the Express Universe. James and Rose's friendship throughout their childhood. 2016: Now with additional one-shot chapters!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: This is part of the Express Universe (the same storyline as my story 'Riding the Hogwarts Express'). It's just a short little one-shot I wrote about James and Rose's relationship and how they're close cousins. The italic part is a direct quote from chapter 3 of RtHE.**

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**September 1, 2019**

_"Finally! I've been looking up and down the train for you," Shiloh McManus said as he entered the compartment. "Passed Rose and the Elder Potter on the way and she pointed me to where you were all at." Scorpius saw Brennan frown at the mention of Rose's name, but it seems like no one else had noticed._

_"Elder Potter?" Albus parroted. Beside him, Edgar let out a low chuckle._

_Shiloh shrugged and sat in the now-empty seat between Albus and Brennan. Across from him, Ella went back to reading the book that she had dropped minutes earlier. "He is your older brother, yeah? So he's the Elder Potter," Shiloh explained easily. "Why does Rose go off with him all the time? I thought you were her best mate, mate."_

**July 9, 2006**

"Sister."

This was the simple word that sent a small family reeling. Hermione Granger-Weasley burst into tears. Her husband Ronald Weasley, who had been standing next to her, quickly put his arms around her in a comforting embrace. Ginny Potter stood still with wide eyes and one hand on her round stomach, staring at the people in front of her. Harry Potter held Ginny's other hand tightly, a lump forming in his throat. He cleared it.

"Jamie," Harry addressed the eleven-month-old propped on the bed in front of him. "Rosie's not your sister—she's your cousin. Rosie is Auntie Hermione and Uncle Ron's daughter. She's going to go home with them."

James looked up at his father, brown eyes lacking any comprehension. He turned back to the small bundle in his aunt's arms. "Sister," he repeated. He reached out to hold onto the baby's tiny hand.

It was James' first word.

**September 1, 2019**

"So what's with you and the Finnegan brat, Rosie?" James asked as they walked down the corridor to the compartment where Roxanne, Fred, Emmett, and Rowan sat. Rose's ears turned bright pink.

"He's a _friend_, James. We play chess together, and if he makes the team this year, we'll be playing Quidditch together, too," Rose replied.

"If that's what you say, Rose," James said, entering the compartment and sitting next to Fred. The small group inside greeted Rose immediately, and Roxanne pulled her down to sit between her and Rowan Thomas.

"And how did James get you all flustered this time, Rosie Pudding Pie?" Fred asked.

"By being his usual nosy self," Rose said, fiddling with the buttons on her denim vest. James smirked as he noticed that she was avoiding Emmett's gaze.

"Rosie's got an admirer," James replied, smiling wide as Rose's ears turned crimson while her face and neck flushed.

Emmett Wood was suddenly paying attention. "Little Rose is breaking hearts already? Oh my," he said, looking at Rose and smiling. James frowned for a millisecond before settling his face into a neutral expression. He was hoping that Emmett would show a hint of jealousy.

"Moving away from discussing my baby cousin's love life," Roxanne began. Rose shot her a look full of gratitude. "We should go over what return prank we'd like to pull this year." She grinned mischievously and motioned to Rose. "Our little flower here has never fully participated in our little pranks. This being Lily and Hugo's first year, we should make it something good."

Fred looked like he was deep in thought. "We should wait until we find out what houses the two land in before we do anything—so tonight is out of the question."

"I don't think we'd have time to plan anything that soon anyway," Rowan said from his spot next to Rose. "At least nothing worthy of Rose's little Ravenclaw efforts." He chuckled as Rose's ears became pink again.

"It doesn't have to be anything extravagant on my behalf," Rose replied. "As long as Hugo gets a laugh out of it."

"Such a good sister," Fred commented.

James smiled broadly. "Yeah, she is." He didn't care if Hugo or Lily enjoyed their efforts at mischief—as long as Rose had a good time, he'd be happy.


	2. Chapter 2

Albus felt like he and Rose had just sat down to begin a game of chess when James came running in from the garden, his untidy hair sticking up in every direction. Their mother yelled at him to stop imitating herds of wild hippogryphs whenever he came into the house, which made Rose giggle. Albus frowned as James appeared with a smile that became a large cheshire grin.

"Hey there, Rosie-Posie Lemon Pie," James said as he playfully tugged on Rose's ears.

"'Morning, Jamie," Rose replied cheerfully, swatting at his hands. Normally, whenever a family member referred to James as Jamie, Albus' older brother would become immediately disgruntled, demanding that he not be called by a "baby name." Rose was the only one who got away with calling him by Jamie-not even Lily, their younger sister, could use the name without being reprimanded by her brother.

"What are my two little swots doing inside on a day like this? Hm?" James detangled himself from Rose and eyed the chess board sitting between the two nine-year-olds. "Playing Wizard's Chess?"

"Yes, Al promised me we'd play," Rose explained. Albus felt a small bit of smug satisfaction when James' smile momentarily slipped.

"Well," James drawled, leaning back and pushing himself to a standing position. "When you get sick of playing boring, safe little games with Albus, Rosie, I'll be in the garden with an extra broom."

Albus glanced from Rose, whose eyes were lit up, to his brother suspiciously. "When did we get an extra broom?"

James chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "Since I got a new broom for my birthday, I'll let Rosie ride my old one."

Albus slammed his fists onto the living room carpet. "But you won't even let me ride that broom! That isn't fair!"

"Because you're a git," James replied before swooping out of the room and through the kitchen, where Rose saw him grab a biscuit before Ginny could slap his hand away. Albus was muttering under his breath.

"It's not fair. He never lets me near that broom, and of course he practically gives the thing to you," Albus growled. Rose looked hurt.

"Don't be like that, Al," Rose whispered. Albus felt like exploding.

"Don't be like what? Angry because James never shares? Or jealous because he's always trying to take my best mate away from me? Or should I be angry at _you_ because that git would rather act like he's your big brother than mine!?" Albus quickly stood and stormed upstairs to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him. There was a cacophony of things being thrown about from within, thudding against the walls and floor.

"Albus Severus Potter!" Ginny hollered up the stairs before walking into the living room, where Lily and Hugo remained frozen in their spot, watching a red-faced Rose try not to cry.

"Oh, Rose, sweetie-" Ginny began before Rose started wailing. The older witch quickly wrapped her niece into her arms and held her tightly. Lily and Hugo watched as the picture frames in the room began to crack and pop. Hugo quickly pulled a quilt from the ottoman and threw it over himself and his cousin to protect them from flying bits of glass.

It was then that Harry appeared in the fireplace of Grimmauld Place. As he tumbled from the hearth, wiping his hands on his trousers, he quickly scanned the chaotic room, taking in Hugo and Lily huddled in the corner, the broken picture frames, and his wife smothering a child with dark red hair that Harry knew to be Rose. James and Albus were nowhere in sight.

Harry quickly shooed Lily and Hugo towards the garden door. "Both of you: outside. Wait until we get this cleaned up."

"Dad, it was-" Lily began as she and Hugo trekked through the kitchen.

"I don't care what James did, Lily. Right now I-"

"Dad," Lily said sternly. "It wasn't James. _Al _made Rose cry."

Harry stood still for a moment. Albus had made Rose cry? Certainly that couldn't have happened: the two cousins were thick as thieves since they were in nappies.

A grim-faced Hugo nodded in confirmation. "He said a lot of mean stuff, Uncle Harry." He took Lily's hand and the two seven-year-olds walked into the back garden towards the duck pond.

After the door shut behind them, Harry noticed that Rose's wailing had turned into quiet whimpering sobs. He walked back into the living room to see that his niece had pushed herself out of Ginny's lap and was now sat against the back of the sofa, her face buried into the palms of her hands. Ginny stood and approached Harry.

"Are you going to handle this one, or should I?" she asked.

"What happened, Gin?" Harry replied. He still had little idea of what had occurred, and he was trying to wrap his mind around the fact that his youngest son had sent his niece into such a fit that every picture frame in the house needed to be repaired.

"At first it was just the boys fighting for Rose's attention," Ginny started.

"And how did it end up like this?"

"Well, I think that Albus was hiding a lot of pent-up anger at James for trying to spend time with Rose." Ginny paused for a moment and sighed. "But I don't think it's only because Rose is his best friend, I think it's also because Albus thinks James loves Rose more than him."

"Albus should know that James loves him-they're brothers," Harry said before making his way toward the stairs. He felt Ginny's hand on his shoulder.

"That's not it, Harry. I think Albus is jealous that James acts more like an older brother to Rose than he does to Al. And if you'd stop for a moment, I think you'll realize it's a bit true."

"But Rose-"

"Rosie knows she was supposed to have an older brother," came a soft voice from behind the two adults. James stood wringing his hands, breaking away from his parent's gaze to glance at Rose, who remained curled into a ball in the living room.

"James," Ginny began in shock. Her eyes were watery and her face became blotchy. "James, how do you know that?"

James shrugged and lowered his head, keeping his gaze intent on the floor. Harry lowered himself to be eye-level with his oldest son. "James, how do you know that Rose was supposed to have an older brother?"

"Rosie told me." Harry's eyes widened in surprise. "She overheard Aunt Hermione and Nana Molly talking about it once. And she was really sad about it, so I decided she could share me with Al and Lily."

Harry felt his heart clench with a mixture of pride and sadness. He exchanged a look with Ginny, whose tears were now silently spilling down her cheeks. Normally James was considered too active and rambunctious, always wanting to show-off and vying for attention. Although he loved his eldest child dearly, Harry had never pegged him for the selfless type until that moment.

James took another long glance at Rose before heading up the stairs.

"James, what are you doing?" Harry asked.

"Al made Rosie cry. I'm going to make him wish he didn't," James said simply without stopping. Harry went over and plucked him off the third stair.

"Merlin, Dad!" James cried out.

"I'll talk to Albus, James," Harry replied.

"I know he's jealous. He thinks I stopped being his big brother all of a sudden or something. He needs to learn to share. And to stop being a prat!" James' legs wiggled in midair as Harry continued to hold him.


End file.
